Chap. LXXX. DOUBTFUL ESCORT. 
27L 
respectable man, these people, who are of a mixed 
race of Tawarek and Songhay, do not appear to be 
very trustworthy, and I should advise any traveller 
in this region to be more on his guard against them 
than against the true Tawarek. But under the pre- 
sent circumstances when they accompanied us on the 
road, I thought it better to tell them plainly who I 
was, although my companions had endeavoured to 
keep them in the dark respecting my real character. 
They had taken me for a Ghadamsi merchant, 
who wanted to pass through their territory with- 
out making them a suitable present. After I had 
made this confession they became much more cheer- 
ful and openhearted, and we parted the best of 
friends. The cunning Wadawi also contributed to- 
wards establishing with them a more intimate rela- 
tion, by bartering his little pony for one of their 
mares. Nothing renders people in these countries 
so communicative, and at the same time allays their 
suspicions so much, as a little trading. 
Having separated from our friends, and made our 
way with some difficulty through a tract of country 
partly inundated, we at length fell in with a well- 
trodden path, where on our right a low hilly chain 
approached. Here a little diim-bush began to ap- 
pear, and, further on, monkey-bread trees adorned 
the landscape ; but the river, after having approached 
for a short time with its wide valley, retired to such 
a distance, that not having provided a supply of water, 
we began to suffer from thirst. I therefore rode in 
